Floating deck and ladder therefor



Nov. 26, 1929. A. M. GRIFFIN FLOATING DEQK AND LADDER THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 18, 1926 1929. A. M. GRIFFIN FLOATING DECK AND LADDER THEREFOR Filed Oct. 18. 1926 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE ALVAH H. GRIFFIN, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO CONSOLIDATED STEEL CORPORATION, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A

CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA FLOATING DECK AND LADDER THEREFOR Application filed October 18, 1926. Serial No. 142,478.

This invention relates to a floating deck such as employed upon oil tanks, and refers particularly to a floating deck provided with a novel form of ladder.

An object of the present invention is toprovide a ladder for a floating deck which irrespective of the vertical position of the float- .ing deck, will be always .in proper position for ascent to the deck. 7 Various further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from a description of a referred form of floating deck and ladder em odying the present invention. For this purpose, reference is made to the'aecompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation, partially in vertical section, of the deck and'ladder mounted in an oil tank.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation at right a les to Figure 1 of the ladder construction,

' igure 3 is a further enlarged elevation of a part of the ladder construction, and

Figure 4 is a section through oneof the rungs of the ladder.

Figures 5 'to 7 inclusive refer to certain modifications. of the invention, in which:

Figure 5 is a figure similar to Figure 4 of a sli htly modified form of ladder,

igure 6 is an elevation mainly in vertical section of a modified form of bushing and seal for passin the supporting bars or standards through tie deck, and,

Figure 7 represents a plan view of the modified form of ladder.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates the tank provided with a floating deck 3, which deck may be of any preferred construction, the deck usually being provided with sealing plates 4 extending from the outer periphery of the deck into engagement with the side walls of the tank 2. In order to provide a means of descent and ascent to and from the deck 3, I provide the deck 3 with a pair of spaced openings 5 in which are laced bushings 6 through which the pair 0 spaced vertical guide bars or standards 7 are adapted to pass. The lower end of the guide bars or standards"? are fixed by-suitable means 8 to the bottom of the tank 2 while the upper ends of said bar -7 are attached by brackets, consisting of bars 9 and 10, to the upper side walls of the tank. From the upper ends'of the bars or stand ards 7 is suspended a chain ladder 11 comprising two parallel side chains 12 and 13 which support, at spaced intervals, rungs 14. The rungs 14 are preferably hollow and through the rungs extend bars 18, the outer ends of which extend beyond the chains 12 and 13, and are there provided with rings or hooks or other equivalent means for engaging the guide bars or standards7 and thus slidably holding the rungs 14 on said bars or standards 7.

The rod 18 preferably is fixed to the side chains 12 and 13 by extending through one of the links of said side chains, and in order to prevent said side chains 12 and 13 from becoming entangled,-spacers 17 are provided on the rods 18 between the guide bars or standards 7xand the side chains 12 and 13.

of the tank 2, the excess chains and rungs which must be provided so the ladder may reach the deck in the lower position, neatly pile themselves on the upper ends of the ushings 6 where they are readily payed out whenever the deck 3 is again lowered. 4

Referring to the modifications shown, in certain cases, the spacers 17 are provided of somewhat larger size than the spacers 17 of the previous form of the invention, and said spacers 17 may, if desired, be rigidly attached to the rod 18.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7 the construction of the deck 3 where the standards or guide bars 7 extend therethrough is indicated as slightly modified. The opening of the rality of felt washers 20 held between spaced disks 21 and 22.. The disks 21 and 22 are springs are fastened to a disk 25 in turn secured in a suitable manner, such as by bolt when the deck is in the upper position." ing to a gage ring 26, whereby the gage ring E26 and disk 25 form a case for enclosing the felt washers 20. 1

By the modifications shown in Figures 5 and 6, the standard or guide bar 7 is wiped free from oil as the deck descends and the escape of vapors around the guide bars or standards 7 is also eliminated.

While the particular forms of ladder herein described are well adapted for accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it is understood that various modifications in the details of construction may be made without departing from the invention and the invention includes all of the changes, modifications, and substitution of equivalents as come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a floating deck, a pair of guide bars, means for anchoring the bars in a fixed, vertically disposed position extendin through the deck, a plurality of rungs sli ably mounted on the guiding bars, said rungs being positioned above the floating deck and being adapted to contact with the floating deck when the deck is in the upper position thereby to be supported by the deck in a position to readily pay out when the deck lowers, and a plurality of chains adapted to support the rungs in vertical spaced position, said chains being suspended from near the upper end of the guide bars.

2. In means of the class described, the combination with a floating deck, of guide bars extending through the deck, means for for anchoring the bars in a fixed, vertically disposed posltion, and engaging the deck to maintain the same against rotation in the tank in which the deck is positioned, a pair of chains suspended from their upper ends and extending down to the deck, rungs attached to the chains at spaced intervals, the rungs having loops enclosing the guide bars for slidably mounting the rungs thereon, and bushings in the deck through which the guide bars extend, the lower rung being adapted to. contact with the bushin of the deck whereby different numbers 0? rungs will be supported by the deck one above the other, the number supported depending upon the height of the deck.

3. In means of the class described, the combination with a floating deck, of guide bars extending through the deck and serving to hold the deck against rotation, a pair of chains supported from their upper ends and extending down to the deck, rungs attached to the chains at spaced intervals, means slidably mounting the rungs on said guide bars, and wiping means carried by the deck for removing oil from the guide bars during descent of the deck, the lower rung being adapted to contact with the deck and support the other rungs one above the other 4. In means of the class described, a floating deck, a pair of guide bars extending slidably mounted on the guide b'arsymeans for anchoring the bars in a fixed, vertically disposed position, a plurality of chains supporting the rungs in vertical spaced relation, and spacers mounted by the rungs between the guide bars and chains, the deck bein adapted to contact with the lower rung an support different numbers of rungs, the number supported depending upon the height of the deck.

5. In means of the class described, a-floating deck, a pair of vertically extending standards extending through the deck and contacting with the deck to prevent the deck rotating, wiping means carried by the deck and engaging said standards, means for anchoring said standards in fixed vertically disposed position, a plurality of rungs slidably mounted on said standards, and plurality chain means adapted for suspending said rungs in vertical spaced position, the chains being suspended from near the upper ends of the standards, the deck being adapted to contact with the lower rung and support different numbers of the rungs, the numbersupportw 

